No trip cancellation. This benefit is not included with this card. Prepaid flights, hotels and tours are not reimbursable if you cancel, and a non-refundable week in Tokyo for two commonly runs to several thousand dollars.
Amex Airpoints Card: does the no-fee card include any travel insurance?
American Express·$0/year·American Express·None (no complimentary insurance)
0,0/5Independent review · verified October 2026
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0,0
0,0
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Our Verdict · Travel Insurance
Our take on travel insurance for the American Express Airpoints Card
Expert review · Pauline LauroreAuthor of HelloSafe's card insurance reviews
$0 annual fee. No travel insurance. Here's what that means before you fly. So, you're in a clinic in Bali with a fever and the front desk wants payment before anyone sees you: the Amex Airpoints Card can settle that bill, and earn you Airpoints on it, but it will never insure it. Most cardholders assume an Air New Zealand co-branded card carries some complimentary cover (insurance that comes free with the card), yet on Amex's New Zealand range, Amex travel insurance only comes with cards that charge an annual fee, and this one charges $0. That leaves no overseas medical, no cancellation, no luggage and no delay cover, while ACC (the Accident Compensation Corporation) and the public health system pay nothing for treatment overseas. A standalone New Zealand travel policy usually covers overseas medical with no dollar cap and adds the cancellation and luggage cover this card leaves out. If you book an Airpoints trip on this card, buy that policy the day you book; if you already hold one, the card is a way to earn 1 Airpoint per $100, not a safety net.
What works on travel
- $0 annual fee, with up to 4 Additional Cards at no extra cost
- 1 Airpoint per $100 spent, added to your Koru account each month
- 0% p.a. on purchases for the first 6 months, then a 22.95% p.a. standard rate
Where travel breaks down
- No overseas medical cover: a hospital bill in Honolulu is yours, and ACC pays nothing overseas
- No trip cancellation: prepaid flights and hotels are lost if you have to call the trip off
- No luggage, delay or travel documents cover, overseas or within New Zealand
- 2.5% currency conversion commission on every purchase made in a foreign currency
Our methodology
Every score is derived from official bank documents: terms and conditions, benefit guides, and claim procedures. No commercial relationship influences our ratings.
Travel Insurance · 20 guarantees
What does American Express Airpoints Card Travel Insurance actually cover?
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No overseas medical. This benefit is not included with this card. All medical costs overseas are the cardholder's responsibility, because ACC and the public health system don't pay for treatment overseas, and a few nights in a Honolulu hospital commonly run to six figures.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No evacuation cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Evacuation and repatriation costs are entirely the cardholder's responsibility, and an air ambulance from Bali to New Zealand commonly costs six figures.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No dental cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Emergency dental treatment overseas is out of pocket, because ACC and the public health system don't pay for treatment overseas.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No hospital allowance. This benefit is not included with this card. No daily allowance is paid during a hospital stay overseas, so the incidental costs of an admission are yours to cover.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No extra expenses cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Extra accommodation and transport after a disruption, such as a cyclone closing Nadi airport, are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No travel delay cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Meals, accommodation and transport during a long delay, such as an unplanned night in Honolulu, are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No transport cover. This benefit is not included with this card. The cost of alternative transport to reach a prepaid cruise, tour or event on time is out of pocket.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No return home cover. This benefit is not included with this card. The cost of flying home after a family emergency, and of resuming the trip afterwards, is out of pocket.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No luggage delay cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Clothes and toiletries bought while your bag is delayed, say on arrival in Rarotonga, are out of pocket.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No luggage cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Replacement costs for lost or stolen bags and belongings are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No documents cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Replacing a lost passport or stolen cash overseas, including the extra travel to reach a consulate, is out of pocket.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No liability cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Legal liability for injuring someone or damaging property overseas is uninsured, and claims of this kind commonly reach hundreds of thousands of dollars.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No death cover. This benefit is not included with this card. No lump sum is paid to you or your estate if an accident on the trip causes death or permanent disablement.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No income cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Injured in Bali and off work for 8 weeks on your return, you get no income replacement from this card, and ACC weekly compensation only applies to injuries ACC covers.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No domestic cancellation. This benefit is not included with this card. Prepaid domestic flights and accommodation, such as a Queenstown ski week, are not reimbursable if you cancel.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No domestic delay cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Meals and accommodation during a delayed or cancelled domestic flight are the cardholder's responsibility.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No domestic expenses cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Extra accommodation and transport after a disruption on a trip within New Zealand are out of pocket.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No domestic luggage cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Lost or stolen luggage on a trip within New Zealand is not reimbursable through this card.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
No domestic delay cover. This benefit is not included with this card. Essentials bought while your bag is delayed on a domestic flight are out of pocket.
What's not covered
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance of any kind, so no claim can be made under this benefit.
We source benefits from official card guides, but PDFs are sometimes hard to obtain or update. Spotted something off?
Coverage Radar
Where the American Express Airpoints Card wins, where it loses
Coverage snapshot for this tab — click any layer to highlight its scores.
Trip cancellation: not covered by this card
Medical fees abroad: not covered by this card
Medical repatriation: not covered by this card
Compare
Airpoints CardThis card0.0/5?
$0/yrWith travel insuranceIdeal
Complete coverage · 5.0 / 5Premium card avg.
$297 avg. annual feeClick a layer to highlight its scores on the radar.
Side-by-side comparison
How the American Express Airpoints Card stacks up against the alternatives
Same 5 coverage dimensions, ranked head-to-head against the cards most Airpoints Card shoppers also consider.
| Card | This card Airpoints Card American Express · $0/yr 0.0/5? | Platinum Card American Express · $850/yr 3.6/5? | Visa Platinum Rewards ASB · $125/yr 3.2/5? | Airpoints Visa Platinum ANZ · $150/yr 3.1/5? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Trip cancellation Per person, per trip cap | Not covered Cover this gap → | $30,000 per person All prepaid travel, $30,000 cap | Unlimited All prepaid deposits, no dollar cap | Unlimited All prepaid travel, no dollar cap |
Emergency medical Hospital bills abroad | Not covered Cover this gap → | $5,000,000 Capped $5,000,000, overseas only | Unlimited Unlimited, ages 75 and under | Unlimited Unlimited under age 75 |
Emergency evacuation Air ambulance + repatriation | Not covered Cover this gap → | $5,000,000 Approved by Chubb Assistance | Unlimited Included in unlimited medical | Unlimited Included in unlimited medical |
Trip delay trigger Hours before benefits kick in | Not covered Cover this gap → | 4h / $650 Trigger: 4 hours | 6h / $400 Trigger: more than 6 hours | 6h / $250 Trigger: 6 hours |
Trip interruption Covered amount | Not covered Cover this gap → | $5,000 per person Trip change during the trip | Unlimited Unlimited, broad list of events | Unlimited Unlimited, broad list of events |
StrongLimited / misleadingNot covered
Data verified against each card's Guide to Benefits, May 2026.
Emergency · Card assistance line
How to contact American Express Airpoints Card assistance?
Amex Airpoints Card customer service (card only, no insurance)
0508 601 128
Free call within New Zealand · 6am to 2am NZST, 7 days
Amex Airpoints Card from overseas (no emergency assistance line)
+64 9 915 2795
Standard international call rates · 6am to 2am NZST, 7 days
Benefit administrator: None: no complimentary insurance (card issued by American Express International (NZ), Inc.)
Claims & pre-authorizations
No insurance claim on the Amex Airpoints Card: what to do instead
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Step 1: Buy a standalone travel policy before you leave New Zealand
The Amex Airpoints Card has no complimentary travel insurance, so there is no policy to activate and no claims line to call. Buy a standalone travel policy when you book, so cancellation cover starts early, and add snow sports or rental excess cover if the trip needs them. Save that insurer's 24/7 emergency number in your phone before you fly.
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Step 2: Claim with your own travel insurer, not with American Express
If something goes wrong overseas, call your travel insurer's emergency line before treatment where you can, and keep itemised bills, receipts and any police or airline report. You can still pay with the Amex Airpoints Card and earn Airpoints, but the claim goes to the insurer that sold you the policy. For a lost or stolen card, call Amex on 0800 656 660, or +64 9 583 8300 from overseas.
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Step 3: Card account problems go to American Express, then to FSCL
For a problem with the card itself, such as a disputed charge, call 0508 601 128 or write to the Customer Relations Manager, American Express, PO Box 4005, Auckland 1140. Amex says it confirms receipt of a complaint, usually within 2 to 3 business days. If the complaint is not resolved, Financial Services Complaints Ltd (FSCL), a free independent dispute resolution scheme that American Express belongs to, can review it.
FAQ
What people ask about the American Express Airpoints Card
- There is nothing to activate, because the Amex Airpoints Card comes with no complimentary travel insurance. Paying for flights, hotels or a tour with it earns 1 Airpoint per $100 spent, but it does not switch any cover on, unlike cards whose policy wording (the insurer's full policy document for a card's cover) insures a trip once it is paid for on the card. On Amex's New Zealand range, complimentary travel insurance only comes with cards that charge an annual fee, and this one charges $0. If you book a trip with this card, buy a standalone travel policy before you leave New Zealand, because ACC and the public health system pay nothing for treatment overseas.
- Nobody, because the Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance. The primary card member, a partner and children travelling with them all go uninsured unless they buy their own cover. You can add up to 4 Additional Cards at no extra cost, and their spending adds to your Airpoints balance, but an extra card adds a way to pay, not a policy. That matters most for families: one hospital admission in Bali or a cancelled week in Tokyo lands on the household budget, not on an insurer. A standalone family travel policy can cover everyone on the trip under one premium, so compare that cost before you book.
- No. The Amex Airpoints Card does not reimburse the rental vehicle excess (the amount the hire company charges you after damage to or theft of a hire car), whether you rent overseas or in New Zealand. Paying for the hire with the card earns Airpoints but gives you no protection on the excess, so after a scrape in Rarotonga the full amount on the rental agreement is yours. Campervans are not covered either. Your options are the hire company's own excess reduction product or a standalone rental excess policy, and comparing the two before you collect the keys usually saves money.
- You can't, because the Amex Airpoints Card has no insurance attached, so there is no insurer, no claims line and no claim form. If something goes wrong on a trip, the claim goes to whichever standalone travel policy you bought, under its own policy wording. For problems with the card itself, such as a disputed charge, call Amex on 0508 601 128 (or +64 9 915 2795 from overseas), or write to the Customer Relations Manager, American Express, PO Box 4005, Auckland 1140. If that does not fix it, Financial Services Complaints Ltd (FSCL), a free independent dispute resolution scheme that American Express belongs to, can review the complaint.
- The Amex Airpoints Card carries no complimentary insurance, so it covers none of the risks a travel policy would. There is no overseas medical or evacuation cover, no trip cancellation, no luggage or delay cover, no rental car excess and no snow sports cover, overseas or within New Zealand. At home it offers no purchase protection, extended warranty or mobile phone cover, and its only protection is the Online Fraud Protection Guarantee against unauthorised charges. The gap that costs most is medical: ACC and the public health system pay nothing for treatment overseas, and a few nights in a Honolulu hospital commonly run to six figures. A standalone travel policy is the way to close it.
- No. The Amex Airpoints Card has no snow sports cover, standard or paid, because it has no travel insurance at all. A ski injury on a trip to Japan, a helicopter rescue off the mountain, stolen skis or an unused lift pass are all paid by you. ACC does not pay for treatment overseas, so the medical bill is the one to plan for, and a fracture treated in Japan quickly reaches five figures. Standalone travel policies sell a snow sports add-on, and it has to be bought before you leave. Within New Zealand, ACC still covers an injury on the slopes at Queenstown, whichever card paid for the trip.
- Yes. The Amex Airpoints Card earns Airpoints on the trip, 1 for every $100 spent, but it does not insure the trip. Without a separate policy, an overseas hospital stay, a cancelled flight, lost luggage or a rental car scrape is entirely your cost, because ACC and the public health system pay nothing overseas. Buy the policy before you leave, ideally when you book, so cancellation cover starts early. A standalone New Zealand travel policy usually covers overseas medical with no dollar cap, which is the cover that matters most, and you can add snow sports or rental excess if the trip needs them.
- No. The Amex Airpoints Card does not include mobile phone insurance, so a cracked screen or a stolen phone is not covered, even if you bought the phone or pay the monthly plan with the card. The same goes for purchase protection and extended warranty: the card pays for the purchase and earns Airpoints on it, but does not insure it. A flagship screen repair commonly costs several hundred dollars. Check whether your home and contents policy covers the phone, and remember the Consumer Guarantees Act gives you rights against the seller when a phone turns out to be faulty.
- The Amex Airpoints Card has a $0 annual fee, but every purchase in a foreign currency carries a currency conversion commission of 2.5% of the converted amount. Purchases get 0% p.a. interest for the first 6 months, then the standard rate of 22.95% p.a. applies, with up to 55 days interest free when you pay the full closing balance each month. Cash advances cost 22.95% p.a. with no interest-free period. On $3,000 of spending abroad, the 2.5% commission alone adds $75. Carry a second card too, in case a shop or restaurant overseas doesn't take Amex.
Not just American Express
Other cards worth considering
Airpoints Card is a strong choice — but depending on what you prioritize, one of these may suit you better.
Gold Rewards Card
American Express
Airpoints Platinum
American Express
Platinum Card
American Express
Low Rate Visa
ANZ
Not sure how card insurance works? Read our guide to credit card travel insurance